Diabetes is one of the leading causes of death around the world. In India alone, there are nearly 50 million diabetic patients, a number that is expected to rise to 80 million by 2030 according to the World Health Organization.
Diabetics commonly self monitor the glucose levels in their blood several times daily. Glucose levels can be assessed using electrochemical strips that are currently prohibitively expensive for a large portion of diabetic patients worldwide. Colorimetric strips are also available but at a fraction of the cost of electrochemical strips.
Colorimetric test strips can also be used for several other blood and urine parameters, such as cholesterol, hemoglobin and ketones, as well as different applications altogether, such as testing of water quality. A modular low cost device that could perform a whole set of tests using various colorimetric strips would be an impactful innovation.
Meanwhile, the availability of mobile devices or mobile platforms have become prevalent. Examples of mobile devices include, but are not limited to, feature camera phones, smart phones, digital cameras with programming capabilities and tablets.
A low cost device that utilizes the more cost-effective colorimetric strip in a mobile platform would be a welcome addition in meeting the increasing demand for glucose monitoring and other bodily fluids.